Capping-machine.



H. P. FORTE.

CAPPING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED DEC-4,1913.

1,172,447. Patented Feb; 22,1916.

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CAPPING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 4. 1913.

1,172,447, Patented Feb. 22,1916.

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CAPPING MACHINE. APPLICAYTION' FILED mac. 4. 1913.

1,172,447. 7 Patented Feb. 22,1916.

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311w ntoz UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY PHIDIAS FORTE, or CANAEIOHARIE, NEW ,YOR-KJASSIGNOR 'ro BEEGHNU'I. PACKING COMPANY, OF CANAJOHARIE, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

GAPPING-MAGHINE.

S pecification of Letters Patent. Patented Feb. 22, 1916.

Application filed December 4, 1913, Serial No. 804,668.

tain new and useful Improvements in .Cap-

ping-Machines; and I do hereby declare the followingto be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had" to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and to the reference numerals marked thereon.

My present invention has for its object to provide a machine for aflixing or applying caps tobottles, orsimilar receptacles, and it is intended more particularly. to provide an apparatus for screwing ontothe necks of bottles, jars or other containers, screw' threaded caps and as a type of such receptacles reference is made to the well known catsup bottles.

Generally stated, my invention comprehends the transporting or carrying of a bottle, or receptacle, on which a cap has been previously-placed into juxtaposition with a frictional surface which upon being engaged by the cap will effect a relatiye movement between it and its receptacle whereby the 'cap is caused to be twisted on its screw thread until it becomes seated in .the desired position. v

To these and other ends the invention consistsin certain improvements and combina:

tions of parts, all as will be hereinafter more fully described, the novel features being pointed out in the'claims at the end of the specification.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is an end elevation showing'a machine illustrating one embodiment of my present invention; Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof; Fig. 3 isa horizontal sectional view taken on the line 3 .3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is aside elevation, and Fig.

.5 is a detail view showing the mounting of the cap-rotating rollers.

Sim1lar reference numerals throughout the several figures indicate the same parts.

- for applying screw caps to bottles, and the 'be understood at the outset that hereafter when the term. bottle is used that it is merely employed as a convenient designation for a receptacle or container .irrespective of its size, shape, or the purpose for which it is intended to be used. The caps applied -to thebottles may be of the usual stamped sheet metal form or anypreferred construe tion, being" provided internally with screw thread pro ect1ons cooperating with lugs or screw threads preferably molded on the exterior of the bottle neck.

A machine embodying my invention,

broadly considered, comprises as one element means for transporting abottle and as a second element meansfigictionally engaging the bottle cap during said transporting movement and causing it to be revolved upon'the bottle so that by the action, of the screwv threads on the bottle and cap, the latter will be advanced the desired distance and securely seated. This friction surface maybe movable and the bottle heldagainst rotatlon durlng transportation, or said surface may be stationary and the bottle rotated whileit is being carried from one place 'to In the preferred arrangement of the parts I prefer to hold the bottle against another.

rotary movement and to arrange the frictional cap rotating means so that it will engage opposite sides ofthe cap and apply the pressure, which it is necessary to exert in orderto firmly grip the cap, on opposite sides of the latter, thus automatically serving to center the cap on the bottle neck and to quickly and easily rotate it into the desired position thereon.

Referring now to the illustrations, it will be .seen that the machine comprises a main frame or table A supported on legs or standards a, a, and b, b, the latter being arranged at opposites of the centerflof the table and extending vertically and carrying at their upper ends a top frame B. The

tending transversely above the table is a. 'conveyer belt 1, of any desired length,

In illustrating my present inventionJI- have shown a machine adapted particularly driven at one end by a. pulley 2 on the shaft table A serves as a support for a portion of the conveying devices and on the frame B 3 carrying a driving pulley 4 to which rotary movement is communicated'fr'om anyconvenlent source. ,The conveyer belt is preferably guided'between the vertically extending walls 1 which prevent any lateral movement of the belt and also serve to prevent bottles resting thereon from becoming displaced either before or after the cap- 11o ping operation dueto vibration of the machine or to the movement of the belt itself. The belt is further supported by an underlying plate 1 the latter and the side walls 1 being mounted independently of the table A. Cooperating with the conveyer both for the purpose of positioning the bottles thereon centrally in respect to the capping mechanism and for the purpose of holding the bottles against rotary movement while the caps are being screwed into position, there is arranged above the conveyer two guides spaced apart sufliciently to permit a bottle to be introduced between them, as shown in Fig. 3, and in order to securely hold the bottle without retarding its progress, these guiding, surfaces are made in the form of endless belts 5 and 6 which are carried respectively on the pairs of pulleys 5 5 6 6 rotating on vertical axes as shown, the bearing studs for one ofthe pulleys of each pair, such as 5 and 6", being adjustable to vary the tension of the belts. This maybe accomplished by means of swinging supports 5, 6 which may be clamped in adjusted position by bolts 5 and 6 It is onlynecessary that a bottle should be' gripped momentarily whileits cap is being seated and for this reason the pairs of rollers 5 6* and 5" 6 are separated so that the inner or adjacent surfaces -of the belts 5 and 6 at their forward ends where the bottles enter and at their rear ends, where the bottles are discharged, the space provided is greater than the diameter of the largest portion of the bodies of the bottles. This permits the belts to perform a further function of moving the bottles laterally on the conveyer 1 tov center them in respect to the capping mechanism, and after the latter has performed its operation the bottles are' released immediately. Inorder to cause the belts 5 and 6 to firmly engage the bottles they are each backed by an intermediate roller 5", 6 provided with a thick face formed of rubber or other resilient mate'- rial, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3. For the purpose of accommodating bottles having bodies of: diflerent diameters, these backing rollers 5 and 6 are mounted on studs carried on swinging arms-5 and 6 pivoted at one end, as indicated at 5 6 and adjustably secured at their opposite extremities, as shown by thelock nuts 5 and 6 The parts described above are all carried on the table A, with the exception of the conveyer, and the table is adjustably secured on standards a b by the split clamps A whereby the mechanism may be raised or lowered as may be required. to accommodate bottles or receptacles of varying lengths. i

The capping mechanism proper which engages the bottle caps for the purpose of screwing them down on seatingthem on the necks of the bottles is shown, in the present embodiment of my invention, as comprising two frictional surfaces arranged. in the form of rollers C and D spaced so as to engageopposite sides of a bottle cap and each disposed to rotate in a plane arranged at a slight angle to a horizontal plane and substantially parallel to the convolutions of the engaging screw threads of the cap and bottle neck at opposite sides of the latten.v

The capping mechanism is all carried on the top frameB, the rollers C and D being respectively mounted on shafts 0, d carried in bearings C, D provided at their upper ends with yokes C D pivoted to laterally extending ears of bearing plates C D mounted at opposite sides" of the depending bracket B to which latter said bearing plates are secured in the angular position shown in Fig. 5 for the purpose of supporting the rollers G, D in the desired position of angular adjustment. The pivotal. mounting of the bearing sleeves C, D permits toward each other is limited by the adjustable stop bolts 0, d carriedonthe sleeves C, D and engaging the sides of the bracket B.

Rotary motion is imparted to the rollers C and D, in the direction indicated by the arrows in Fig. 3, so that when a bottle .cap is engaged between them it will be driven in a direction to advance it along its thread'the required distance to seat it on the neck of the bottle with the desired firmness. This is accomplished while a bottle is being transported between said rollers by the combined action of the conveyer 1 and the holding belts 5 and 6. By reason of the fact that the roller D at the point where its surface engages a bottle cap, is moving in the direction of the conveyer 1 it is desirable thatthis roll be driven at a slightly increased rate of travel in comparison with the speed of rotationv ofthe roller C. The cap rotating rollers C and D are driven by the pinion C", D mounted on short shafts, journaled in a frame B. which are connected with their respective shafts c and d by universal joints, one of which is shown -in Fig. 5 andindicated. by C The driving gears of the pulley B and through the table- A where a pair of beveled pinions 14 connect said shaft to the countershaft-15, carried in a on the. bottle.

bearings on the lower face of the table A. Another pair of bevel gears 1 1 transmit rotary movement from the shaft 15 to -the shaft 14 which drives the pulley 5. countershaft 15 is driven from the shaft 3 by the sprocket chain 16 carried "on the sprocket wheels 17 and 18.

' The frame B and the cap seating mechavertically I provide on each of the standards, between the clamps B and stationary collars b, rotatable JCOllaI'S b the engaging ends of whichare provided with inclined cam surfaces whereby when one collar is rotated on the other they will be separated and the frame B elevated.

In the operation of the machine the bottles, or receptacles, after being filled and sealedhave' their caps placed loosely on the bottle necks, after which they are delivered, by hand or otherwise, to the conveyer belt 1. The bottles are received on the conveyer spaced apart a short distance, and as the conveyer is moving continuously each bottle is in turn brought into the opening between the entrance ends of the belts 5 and 6 and by one or the other of these each bottle is adjusted laterally into central position and is soon firmly gripped between said belts and held againstrotationduring its travel in a lineal direction covering a space of several inches. While a bottle is thus held it, is

being transported and its capv engages and forces apart the rollers C and D. These rollers are traveling at differential speeds, but at such speeds relatively to the movement which is being imparted to the bottle itself that during the brief. period in which said rollers are permittedn to engage the cap the latter is driven the required number of revolutions, or partial revolutions, as the case may be, and caused to be firmly seated The capping mechanism embodying my invention consists of few parts which are The e the structure I "have shown as a practical embodiment of my inventionmay be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as definedifi' the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

with means for supporting a receptacle with 1ts cap placed thereon, of two surfaces hav- 1. In a capping machine, the combination 1 ing a relative movement in opposite direc-,

tions' and arranged to engage the cap and impart a rotary movement thereto. 7 g 2. In a capping machine, the combination which a cap has been applied and means ;for holding it against rotation, of a continuously movable surface located at one side of the receptacle and adapted to engage the side of. a cap and to rotate it upon the receptacler e 4 3. 0A capping machine comprising means for transporting and holding a receptacle and a surface adapted to frictionally engage a cap placed on the receptacle, one of said elements being movable relatively to the other so that the receptacle and surface pass each other and cause a rotary movement of the cap on the receptacle during'the transporting of the latter. i

i 4. A capping machine comprising means for transporting a receptacle, a surface located at one side adapted to frictionally engage the side of a cap carried by the receptacle and into engagement with which said cap is carried during, the transporting movement, one of said elements being movable relatively tocause the receptacle and frictional surface to pass each other and rotate the cap on the receptacle.-

5. A bottle capping machine comprising with means for transporting a receptacle to the receptacle and means .for transporting bottlesand a 'sur;

face located at one side of the receptacle into engagement with which caps placed on the bottles are carried during their transporting movement, said surface and transporting means havinga further movement relatively one to the other and serving to effect a relative rotary movement between the bottles and their caps. I

6. A machine, for twisting screw caps upon receptacles to which they have been I loosely applied, comprising means for holding the receptacles against rotation, a device for imparting a rotary movement to the caps and meansfor causing movement of simple in their arrangement and construc-j/the holding means in one direction and drivtion and capable of capping large quantities mg the contacting portionof the cap ro of bottles. The adjustability of the table to carry the guiding andholding members toward or from the conveyer permits bottles having long or short bodies to be oper;

ated upon andthe independent adjustmentof the capping rollers provides for the fur ther accommodation of bottles having long q or shortinecks. Various modifications of means for transporting them in one direction, a device with which the caps are.

brought intocontact for impartinga rotary path of movement of the receptacle to enporting the receptacles in approximately a" straight line and a surface with which said caps are brought into frictional contact traveling in a direction and at a rate of speed relatively to that of the transporting devices which causes said caps to be ro-' tated into sealing position on their receptacles.

9. A machine for twisting screw caps" upon receptacles upon which they have been loosely applied comprising means for transporting the receptacles in an upright position in spaced relation to each other, and a moving surface disposed at one side of the gage successively the periphery of each cap and adapted to impart a rotary movement thereto. M

10. A mac ne for twisting screw caps upon receptacles upon which they have been loosely applied comprising two surfaces traveling in opposite directions'and transporting devices for carrying a receptacle toward and from said surfaces in position to faces traveling in-opposite directions and cause its cap to frictionally engage them.

11. A'machine for twisting screw caps upon receptacles upon which they have been loosely applied comprisingtwo spaced surmeans for successively carrying receptacles with their caps applied between and into frictional contact with said surfaces.

12. A machine for twisting screw caps upon receptacles upon which they have been loosely applied comprising two 'spaceo'surfaces traveling in opposite directions, means for successively carrying receptacles with their caps applied between and into frictional contact with said surfaces and means for holding the receptacles against rotation during the period of contact of their caps with said surfaces.

13. A machine for twisting screw caps upon receptacles comprising a traveling surface, means for transporting the receptacles toward thesurface to cause the lateral'edges of their caps, to frictionally engage and be rotated by the surface and means for engaging and holding the receptacles against rotation during the rotation of the cap with-- out impeding its transporting movement. p

'14. In a capping machine, the combination with a receptacle conveyer and means moving with the -latter for grasping and holding a receptacle-against rotation, of

.means for rotating a cap placed on the reengage said cap posite sides of a cap and moving ceptacle during the movement of the receptacle and while held by the grasping means.

15. In a capping machine, the combination with a conveyer adapted to receive receptacles in an upright position and means located above the conveyer engaging opposite sides of a receptacle placed thereon to prevent its rotation, of devices located above said holding means for rotating a cap placed on the receptacle and arranged to 7 while the receptacle is held against rotation.

16. In ("a capping machine, the combination with a movable conveyer, a" pair of guides located above the latter, said conveyer being adapted to receive receptacles and carry them into engagement with the guides and the latter being adapted to center the receptacles and prevent them from being rotated during a portion of their transporting movement, of means disposed to frictionally engage the peripheries of -caps placed on said receptacles and rotate the caps while the latter are so centered.

17. A 'machine, for applying a screw threaded caps to receptacles comprising means for holding the latter and a frictional surface arranged to engage the side of a cap and disposed to move in a plane sub stantially parallel to the convolutions of the screw threads at its points of contact .with the cap.

'18. A machine for applying screw thread ed caps to receptacles comprising means for holding the latter and frictional surfaces arranged to engage oppositev sides of a cap and each disposed to move in a plane substantially parallel to the convolutions of the screw thread at their points of contact with the cap.

19. A machine for applying screw threaded caps to receptacles comprising means for holding the latter and frictional surfaces'arranged to engage opposite sides of a cap and moving in opposite directions and dis posed in intersecting planes, the angularity of which is adjusted to facilitate the advancing movement imparted to the cap by its screw thread.

20. A machine for applying screw threaded caps to receptacles comprising means for moving a receptacle inv substantially a straight line direction and frictional. surfaces arranged to simultaneously engage opin opposite held and directions at differential speeds.

21. A machine for applying screw threaded caps to receptacles comprising means for transporting a receptacle in substantially a straight line direction and rotating frictional members traveling at difierential speeds, said members being disposed in in-. I

tersecting planes and'arranged to engage opposite sides ofa cap at such angles that the rotary movement imparted to a cap will be in the direction ofits threads at the points of contact.

22. In a capping machine, the combination with a. conveyer moving in a fixed horizontal plane, and adapted to transport receptacles, and grasping devices adjustable",

bodily toward and from the conveyer and adapted to engage the-bodies of receptacles to prevent them from being. rotated during their transporting movements, of means for aflixing caps to the receptacles while being transported, said means being bodily adjustable toward andfrom the conveyer.

23. A capping mechanism comprising a conveyer, means for aflixlng caps to weep tacles carried by the conveyer and means in -a fixed horizontal plane, two endless belts spaced apart and located above the conveyer, means supporting said belts and adjustable toward and from the conveyer, of means for affixing caps to bottles transported by the conveyer and supporting devices for said means adapted to be adjusted toward andfrom said conveyer.

25. In a capping machine, the combina-- 'ti0n with a frame having uprights, a conveyer supported in a fixedho'rizontal plane, a table vertically adjustable on the uprights and devices supported thereon and adapted to engage and afford lateral support for receptacles carried on the conveyer, of a top frame also vertically adjustable on the upr flgilts" and means depending therefrom for a ing caps to receptacles on the conveyer.

26. In a capping machine, the combination with a conveyer, means cooperatingwith the latter for supporting receptacles placed thereon and a frame arranged above said parts, .of rollers suspended from said frame and adapted to engage caps carried 27. In a capplng machine, the combination with means for supporting receptacles, and a frame arranged above said supporting by said receptacles.

means, of rollers yieldingly suspended from a said frame and adaptedto move toward and from each other and to operate on caps carried by said receptacles.

28. In a cappin machine, the combination with means for holding receptacles and a frame arranged above said liolding means, of a suspended bearing pivoted on said frame, a rolleradapted to engage caps car? ried by said-receptacles and, having a driv-.

ing shaft journaled in the bearing and mechanism on the frame for-driving said shaft. 7 v

29. In a capping machine, the combination. with means for holding receptacles, of

,a support located above the holding means,

a bearing-suspended from the support and pivoted to swing at an angle to a vertical line, a roller j ournaled on said bearing adapted to engage caps placed on the receptacles, driving mecha nism mounted-on the support and anniversal joint forming a driving connection between said mechanism and roller.

30 In acapping machine, the combination with means for holding a receptacle, a support located above said means and two pivoted bearings suspended from said support and journaled to swing in intersecting planes, inclined relatively to the ,vertlcal plane, of rollers adapted-to engage with caps placed onv the receptacles and journaled on saidbearings and means for driving sald rollers.1-

, HARRY PHIDI'AS FORTE.

Witnesses:

G. WILLARD RICH,

JOHN S. BRQNK. 

